This is a National Stage Entry of Application No. PCT/EP99/02986 filed May 3, 1999; the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to personal weighing scales of the type which is the subject of the preamble to main claim 1.
Within this field, the invention is suitable optimally but not exclusively for the production of a set of scales with a transparent load platform, a wooden frame, and a mechanical weighing device which is visible, together with the frame, through the load platform.
With scales having this structure, a problem arises in connecting the load platform to the frame in a manner such that these two elements are fixed firmly together but are capable of the very small relative movements which are necessary for the operation of the weighing mechanism. Typically, a small movement of the load platform takes place towards the frame, under load.
A known solution which has been adopted by the Applicant up to now is that of providing a metal rod which interconnects a pair of adjacent appendages (another rod is provided symmetrically for the remaining pair of appendages) and a corresponding metal rod, parallel thereto and fixed in the frame. The two rods are interconnected in an approximately central position by a spring which achieves the required connection.
However, this device requires both the frame and the appendages to be prepared for the fixing of the two pairs of rods and also greatly affects the appearance of the scales from an aesthetic point of view.
The object of the invention is to provide scales which are designed structurally and functionally so as to prevent all of the problems complained of with reference to the prior art mentioned.
This problem is solved by the invention by means of scales formed in accordance with the following claims.